


Jumpers in the Rain

by ThePrimeOne



Series: Drabbles in the Dark [17]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: """Drabble""", Any Route Except Crimson Flower, F/M, Fluff, Hugs, Light Angst, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25521109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePrimeOne/pseuds/ThePrimeOne
Summary: Bleak rain falls over Garreg Mach after the Holy Tomb incident, and Ashe sees Petra down on her luck.So of course, his first instinct is to help.For the Felannie Fever discord drabble challenge with the prompt 'Hugs'.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Series: Drabbles in the Dark [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591558
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21
Collections: Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	Jumpers in the Rain

War was inevitable. Edelgard, the now Emperor of the Adrestian Empire, declared war on the Church and, in effect, Fodlan, throwing everything into chaos. Ashe was especially rattled by the news, even more so when they'd been informed that the Adrestian Empire was rallying troops to attack Garreg Mach. The monastery's atmosphere became more burdensome by the day with the inevitable conflict incoming. White clouds turned black, days of bleak rain fell over the monastery three weeks before the Church predicted the Empire to attack.

Ashe had managed to stumble into the main hall as noon passed, having spent the morning helping Annette in the Greenhouse, Marianne in the stables, and Cyril collecting firewood. Desperate for food to calm his growling stomach and shelter to hide from the rain, he jogged into the building. He was surprised to find it rather empty upon arrival, barring some the Knights of Seiros and monks occupying some of the tables.

And one Petra Macneary, sitting alone at the table, half of her food remaining untouched. Ashe looked over curiously, spotting a letter in her hands that she stared down at, rife with an emotion he couldn't put his finger on.

Out of concern for his friend- or someone he considered as such, he walked along the other side of where Petra sat, coughing to gain her attention. 

"Um… Petra? Are you okay?"

The girl looked up, surprise rising on her face. She quickly folded the letter and hid it under the table. "Ashe. I am fine."

Ashe was immediately unconvinced. "Are you sure? You look a bit down on your luck. You're even slouching a little too; you don't usually do that."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "You… are noticing the strangest things, Ashe."

His cheeks heated up with red, realizing how odd such a comment sounded. "Y-yeah, I guess so. Sorry if you felt weirded out by that, though."

She shook her head. "No, it is not weird. I was being surprised by your- oh, what is the word? Perception?"

"Oh, well, being an archer and all, noticing little things in the heat of battle does play a big part in how we fight. Of course, you already know this."

Petra nodded. "Yes, I have understanding…"

Ashe frowned when the girl dipped her head, glancing down at the letter he'd seen beforehand. 

"Can I keep you company? Or do you prefer being alone?" Ashe asked, careful not to truly make her uncomfortable with his presence.

"I would be liking for you to sit with me. Your presence is comforting."

Ashe blinked, surprised. That wasn't something he was expecting to hear. "O-oh. Okay," he replied lamely. 

Taking a seat, he sunk into his chair a little, trying to find a way to start a conversation. His eyes settled on the plate of half-eaten Pickled Rabbit Skewers between them.

"You're uh, not going to eat that, Petra? Are you not feeling well?"

The Brigidian Princess glanced at the food and shook her head. "I am not sick, but I do not hunger."

"Oh. Well, you don't mind if I eat the rest of it, do you? I'm rather hungry," he said, almost greedily.

"I am not minding," she insisted, pushing the plate slightly towards Ashe.

Ashe pulled the plate closer and began to chew on the meat and vegetables on the skewers, scoffing them down faster than he had anticipated.

"I was not knowing you like rabbit skewers, Ashe."

Ashe shrugged. "It's not my most favorite thing to eat, but I've learned to be grateful for whatever food I can get. I'd be doing a disservice to those who prepared the food if I didn't at least try to eat it."

For the first time he'd seen her that afternoon, a smile pulled up at her mouth's corners. "That is a good attitude you have for food, Ashe. My Grandfather was telling me as a child something similar. In Brigid, we are believing that food is a blessing provided to us by the land and that little must be left to waste. It is why we ask the spirits to bless the food with a short chant before we are eating," Petra explained.

"Wow…" he softly replied in wonder, both utterly fascinated by what he was hearing, and happy to see some light return to Petra's face and eyes. The pleasant thought made him smile in turn.

"Ashe? Is something the matter?"

Ashe sat up in his seat, snapped out of his daze. "O-oh, nothing. It's just, seeing and hearing you talk about Brigid made you really happy. And seeing you smile like that compared to before, it made me happy too," he bashfully admitted.

Petra blinked, her turn to be surprised, but quickly recovered. "It brings me great joy to hear that Ashe," she solemnly smiled.

"And there you go again, getting all sad on me, Petra." He stopped talking for a moment, wondering whether to ask- but decided to do it, regardless of it being against his better judgment. "Is this by any chance about that letter you were reading before?"

Petra's head falls again. She lifted her arms from under the table to reveal the letter held in her hands with a sigh. 

"...Yes, it is."

"I see," Ashe nodded, reading her expression. "If you don't want to talk about it, I can drop it. It's okay-"

"Ashe. I am appreciating your consideration for me, but would you hear my thoughts about this letter? We are friends, yes? Can I trust you will listen?" she interrupted suddenly, the young princess' gaze locked with his own.

Through momentary surprise, he didn't hesitate to nod silently. It was something Petra always appreciated about him- always willing to go out of his way to help his friends and those around him.

"This letter is one only I was receiving from Edelgard." She directed her gaze to the letter. "She has asked me if I will lend her my strength and fight for the Empire, and if Brigid will support her."

"The conclusion I have come to is the one I am thinking would protect my homeland. But Brigid is closest to the Empire. I have fears that if I am too rash, I may endanger my people. Endanger my Grandfather, my only family remaining."

Ashe shifted in his seat, understanding the implication of Petra's potential decision. She grasped the letter with more force, threatening to rip it apart.

"But it also is not what my heart is wanting. I am wanting Brigid to be freed from the Empire. And so I did. I was telling Edelgard in a letter that Brigid will  _ not _ be siding with her. Brigid  _ will _ remain away from the war as long as it can. But now, my heart, it is… wavering. I am afraid I was deciding too quickly. It is a feeling I am not liking, to say it lightly."

"I'm so sorry, Petra. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you," Ashe dipped his head with an indignant frown. "But… I think that's okay to feel that way," Ashe asked carefully. The Princess's grip loosened, her eyes staring into his.

"What do you mean?" A curious question escaped her lips.

Ashe licked his lips, feeling them dry up. "Ah, don't worry about it. I should be listening to you rather than..."

"Ashe," she said firmly, clasping one of her right hand on top of his left and effectively shutting him up. For a moment, Ashe saw the fierce warrior and future Queen of Brigid that seldom surfaced outside of battle, hidden by her cool and calm exterior as a Princess.

He barely registered that his heart skipped a beat.

She quickly moved her hand away. "Please explain to me what you were meaning."

Ashe gulped, hoping he didn't mess up. "O-okay. Well, I noticed that you said Edelgard sent that letter to you, right?" 

Petra nodded, humming a confirmation.

"And only you got one? Not your Grandfather?" he questioned her again.

"Yes. Edelgard was saying so in the letter."

Ashe tapped his finger on the table, picking his words carefully. "Well, it wouldn't make much sense if she sent one just to you and not to your Grandfather, who's the King of Brigid, right?"

She glanced at the letter. "Yes. It is strange that she would do that. I am only a Princess, after all."

"Right," Ashe nodded. "So, I thought that perhaps she sent it only to you because Edelgard trusts your judgment, no matter who you choose for Brigid to side with," Ashe explained, Petra's expression unreadable. "Maybe Edelgard wants to hear what  _ you _ want. You're strong, Petra. Stronger than you give yourself credit for, I know it. Maybe, by giving you a choice to decide Brigid's path, that's her way of recognizing that. If I remember right, part of you contemplated siding with the Empire, right?"

Petra's silence spoke volumes.

"Even if that's true, I won't tell you the correct path to take, or say if you're right or wrong, I'm just a commoner after all," Ashe solemnly smiled. "But it sounded to me that you  _ don't _ want to do that. If your heart wanted to take their side, then you'd make that call. But as you said, it doesn't. And you know what? That's okay too."

"Because in the end, sometimes the cost of not following your heart is spending the rest of your life wishing you had."

Petra's stare lingered on him for what felt like an eternity, butterflies forming knots in his stomach. "I, um- I didn't say anything wrong, did I? I'm sorry if I did Petra, I just started rambling, and I didn't know when to stop."

Her mouth quirked up into a smile, followed by a poorly suppressed chuckle that was refreshing to see. "What book of Knights was saying the line about following your heart, Ashe?" she teased him.

"H-hey, I was serious," Ashe frowned. "I just wanted to make you feel better about your decision, is all. I hate to see you look so down, you know. A frown doesn't suit your face."

She looked away, her face graced with a light blush. "Ashe, you may be thinking your words are ramblings, but they mean much to me. You…" Petra paused, biting the inside of her lip. "You truly are a special friend."

The moment Ashe registered the words in his mind, lightning flashed above the monastery, a thunderous crash ringing out shortly after. The rain that once was falling slowly outside suddenly fell faster, pelting water over the monastery. The sudden flash and noise shook Ashe a little and caught Petra off guard. Their gazes turned to the open doors of the dining hall.

"Well, that's not good," Ashe grumbled, Petra's words echoing in his head.

"I have wanted to return to my room to hide this letter away, but I did not expect the rain to worsen," groaned Petra, sinking into her chair. "I am envious of you, Ashe. You are having a jumper to cover yourself, at least."

Ashe glanced down at his damp jumper. "Well, you can wear mine if you want?" Ashe blurted out.

Petra tilted her head, staring blankly at the boy across from her.

Ashe felt dread wash over him.

"Uh, I mean, just to get to your room! Since ours are close, you can just wear it to cover yourself and give it back when we get there, and I can- Oh Goddess, I look ridiculous now, don't I?" Ashe blushed, looking down at the table.

Petra shook her head and smiled. "You are not looking ridiculous, Ashe. But if you are willing, I would be liking to take you up on that offer."

"Oh! Sure! Just give me a moment." Surprised by her acceptance, he stood up and pulled his jumper off over his head, pulling down on his shirt underneath to stop it from being pulled off too. He held out the piece of clothing towards Petra, the girl putting it on. 

Petra pulled the garment over her head and hugged herself in it when it was on. "It's warm," she commented off-handedly. Ashe's stare lingered a little longer than he thought acceptable, the loose piece of clothing hiding her arms and hands in the sleeves and reaching below her hips. She placed the hood of his jacket over her head.

She looked cute in it, he admitted to himself.

In the corner Ashe's eye, he became painfully aware of the curious gazes of those in the dining hall, now including some of their classmates. He immediately shook off both thoughts from his head when he cleared his throat.

"I think we should get going," Ashe said, hurriedly leading Petra to the doors.

She followed after him with a frown. "Are you sure you are not going to be cold? I am not wanting you to get sick because of me."

"I'll be fine, really," the boy reassured her. "Ready when you are."

Petra hugged the jacket closer against her and confidently nodded at Ashe. She took a step out into the harsh rainfall, Ashe hot on her heels. Not so conveniently, the rain belted down even harder as they rushed down the stairs towards their dorm rooms. They leaped up over the small staircase leading to their dorms, the two diving for cover, hiding from the rough weather.

The young Princess glazed over Ashe momentarily, her eyes pulling back towards him regardless. Though they were not out long, his shirt was thoroughly soaked through, his shirt sticking to him and highlighting his toned body. Ashe had a certain boyish charm Petra found attractive- but seeing him want to become stronger and the fruits of his labor up close made certain feelings stir within her. Feelings that she wasn't sure she was ready to admit existed.

She peeled her eyes away from his torso and to his eyes. "Ashe, are you okay? The rain has drenched your shirt."

Wringing out water from the hem of his shirt, Ashe shook his head. His cheeks rose into a reassuring grin. "Don't worry about me, Petra. As long as you're okay, then that's what matters."

There he went again, prioritizing others above himself. "Oh spirits above, Ashe," she mumbled, a sigh following after. He didn't know when to not lookout for someone. Even if it could get him hurt someday, the kindness he displayed despite his harsh upbringing astounded her.

"Petra? Is there something wrong- H-huh?!" Ashe stammered suddenly, almost falling back when Petra stepped forward and crashed into him. Her arms wrapped around his torso, the boy pinned against the door to Petra's room.

Ashe froze, his mind going haywire at the sudden, yet comforting close contact. Unsure of what else to do, he carefully returned the hug, holding her close. He felt Petra tense, but the Princess quickly relaxed and sunk back into the embrace. Petra comfortably planted her face in the crook of his neck with her warm breath tickling his skin. Red appeared from his cheeks to his neck, and the tips of his ears. Ashe's mind began going in circles. It was wholly indecent of him to be doing this, especially when anyone could see them. He was a commoner, an ex-thief. She was a Princess and the eventual Queen of Brigid. Yet here he was, returning a hug initiated by the person he'd come to admire a great deal in his time at the academy; by  _ royalty _ . Though intimacy between Knights and their Liege was not unheard of, it was widely frowned upon.

He tried his best to ignore the implication that said line of thinking assumed Ashe being Petra's knight, even if the thought was not an unpleasant one. "Petra? A-are you okay?" Ashe stuttered in a hushed whisper, barely heard over the pelting rain against their shelter.

"Thank you, Ashe," Petra breathed against his skin, making him shudder. "Your words of encouragement mean much to me. It is making me happy- even if it does not sound like it."

"W-well, your very welcome, Petra. It's the least I could do for a friend."

Petra frowned.

"Ashe. Please be taking care of yourself."

The young boy squinted at her, bewildered. "What?"

"Ashe, you are always doing so much for others around you. You are always exerting yourself, so other people are happy, but I am worried that you might not be doing the same for you," Petra explained. "Like now. If you are not being careful, you can get sick from the cold. With the Empire approaching, we must all be ready to fight. If you fell ill before the battle, I... our, friends would be anxious for you, I am thinking."

Ashe let her words settle in, surprised by her rambling. It wasn't the first time she'd heard that piece of advice before. But hearing it from her with the tone of her pleading voice bordering on desperate hit Ashe like a bag of bricks. Ashe spent more time helping his classmates with their chores and the Knights with mundane tasks more so than usual after the holy tomb's incident, under the guise of merely 'wanting to help.' But he knew why. He was afraid. Very much scared of what was to come and his future, and the future of his siblings and friends. Working himself to the bone from the early hours of the morning to the late hours at night was the only, albeit temporary, out he could find to run away from it. Not even the pleasures of reading his favorite books could distract him.

All he could do was just heed her, and so many other warnings he'd heard before. He hugged her a little tighter and hummed near her ear.

"Okay. I'll do that, then. No more running away."

"Yes. That is sounding like a good idea." Petra broke off the hug, relieved, and took a step back. "Please be having my apologies, Ashe," Petra bowed. "I am not sure what came over me, but I should not have…"

"Thank you, Petra," he interrupted her with a smile as warm as their cheeks. "For the hug. It was nice. I needed that," he coughed awkwardly.

"Oh. Then that is good. It was nice, I am thinking" Petra exhaled a sigh of relief. "But, I am thinking you would like this back, no?" she said, pulling the hem to lift the jumper over her head.

"Petra, w-wait!" 

The girl stopped and looked at him, confused. "Yes, Ashe? What is the problem?"

"Um… don't worry about giving it back," he declared, the knots forming in his stomach again. "You can keep it. The jumper, I mean."

Petra furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Well, you uh-" Ashe stopped and bit his lip momentarily "-you said it was warm, right? Better to stay that way, so you can keep it. I have a spare anyway, and you..."

"...Yes?"

Ashe breathed in. "It'sjustthatyoulookreallycuteinitokaybyePetra!" Ashe sputtered out, turning his back to her and retreating into the rain.

Petra held out her hand to stop him. Ashe's name disappeared from the tip of her tongue, realizing it was too late. She watched him run as fast as possible to his dorm rooms through the rain, even despite what he said earlier.

She hugged his, no, her jumper and sighed, her light disappointment betrayed by her deep red blush and goofy smile. 

"Oh, Ashe. What am I going to be doing with you?"

**Author's Note:**

> Another WIP that I started some time ago, but only just got around to finishing. Admittedly, the 'hug' part is rather tacked on so it could fit the hug prompt, but oh well, what can you do?
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
